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ORIGIN

This 1937 Bentley 4 ¼ Liter was completed by Park Ward on April 27, 1937 as a Special Four-Seater Coupe with body number B282. According to Bentley texts, as few as 1,234 examples of the Bentley 4 ¼ Liter chassis were manufactured from 1936-1939, and this particular car is claimed to be a one of one example with coachwork by Park Ward. The car was commissioned by Miss F. Pickle of Halifax, with original UK registration number BKW 320. It is believed to have been ordered and possibly built as a drophead coupe, then changed to a fixed head coupe at Miss Pickle’s request. Documentation by Ellman-Brown shows delivery on April 30, 1937. The 4.25-liter straight-six is mated to a 4-speed manual gearbox with electric overdrive, and the odometer now shows 59,267 miles. A 2010 mechanical refresh addressed the cylinder head and valves, drivetrain, and tuning. This award-winning Bentley is now being offered by a dealer in Texas with an extensive file of historical records, books, and documentation, as well as a clean Washington title.

Per the seller, this particular car has been featured in the books Bentley-The Silent Sports Car 1931-1941, Bentley Beauty, and The Derby Built Bentleys. The Park Ward body features a single side-mount spare, pontoon front fenders, no running boards, and a single fog lamp between the twin horns as depicted above. The exterior benefits from an older restoration and repaint, and additional exterior photos are provided in the extensive gallery below.

In the 2000s, chassis B91JY was exhibited at the Bentley Drivers Club gathering at Kensington Gardens in London, where it was awarded Best Derby Bentley. Known ownership history has been provided by the seller as follows:

The 5-digit mechanical odometer currently shows 59,267 miles, which is believed to be correct based on included documentation and known history.

The inside of the vanity compartment can be seen above, showing an award with the description “Quarley Brioche 2nd Prize Kensington Championship Show, Alexandra Palace – April 7th 1938.”

A full set of tools is housed within a tray attached to the rear boot lid.

The 4.25-liter straight-six is numbered F7BF, and it is original to the chassis according to the seller and included documentation. Compression test results are pictured in the gallery and reveal 115 psi across all six cylinders. The car was driven 1,200 miles on a 2015 CCCA CARavan tour through British Columbia, Banff, and Lake Louise.

Prior to this auction, the underside was steam cleaned and fully detailed. Additional undercarriage photos are displayed in the gallery below.

The original order form is dated December 4, 1936 and shows Miss Pickle’s information along with the chassis number, engine number, and other important aspects of the vehicle. Additional documentation is provided in the gallery, and a video featuring this Bentley can be viewed below.